The first Tuesday of November is nearly here and with the Melbourne Cup 2014 field ready to face off at Flemington Racecourse tomorrow in Race 7 at 3pm (AEDT) we take a look at the historical facts and stats on this time-honoured classic.

Admire Rakti is the 2014 Melbourne Cup favourite. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

Want to uncover where the value bets are at on this year’s $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m)?

Taking a look back over the Melbourne Cup history for the trends and statistics is a top way to sort the genuine contenders from the pretenders.

Will the $5.50 favourite in Melbourne Cup betting Admire Rakti get the job done for the punters the way Fiorente did 12 months ago?

Or is there an upset Melbourne Cup result on the card from another exciting stayer such as the Robert Hickmott-trained Fawkner ($9.50) who won last year’s Caulfield Cup or beaten favourite in this year’s Caulfield Cup Lucia Valentina ($7.50) who ran a brave third behind Tuesday’s favourite?

2014 Melbourne Cup Field Facts

Melbourne Cup Trainer Tip: Bart Cummings has prepared more winners than any other trainer with 12, this year along with his grandson and co-trainer James Cummings he is represented by #15 Precedence ($101).

Melbourne Cup Jockeys To Back: Damien Oliver and Glen Boss have both ridden three Melbourne Cup winners in recent years – Oliver with Fiorente (2013), Media Puzzle (2002) and Doriemus (1995); Boss with Makybe Diva (2003, 2004, 2005). This year Oliver shoots for his fourth aboard #11 Mutual Regard ($11) and Boss with #12 Who Shot The Barman ($21)

Melbourne Cup Owner With Form: Lloyd Williams has won the ‘Loving Trophy’ four times with Green Moon (2012), Efficient (2007), What A Nuisance (1985) and Just A Dash (1981). This year Williams and trainer Robert Hickmott are down to one shot with #3 Fawkner ($9.50) following the scratching of roughie shot #6 Sea Moon.

Melbourne Cup Saddlecloth Stats:

#4 Red Cadueax is out to become the 12th Melbourne Cup winner to carry the number four saddlecloth.

• Numbers 4 and 12 have provided 11 Melbourne Cup winners each and belong this year to #4 Red Cadeaux ($19) and #12 Who Shot The Barman ($21).
• Number 18 is the most unlucky with just the one winner with #18 Au Revoir ($67) out to break the hoodoo.

Melbourne Cup Barrier Stats:

• Barrier 11 has produced seven winners since gates were introduced and belongs on Tuesday to German stayer #5 Protectionist ($7.50).
• Barrier 18 has never produced a Melbourne Cup winner and will now belong to #17 Mr O’Ceirin ($201) after #6 Sea Moon was scratched.

Age / Sex of Melbourne Cup Winners: Five-year-old Entires and Geldings boast 40 wins over the years and there are three that fit this profile in 2014 with #5 Protectionist ($7.50), #18 Au Revoir ($67) and #24 Signoff ($7.50).

Melbourne Cup Doubles:

• Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double: #1 Admire Rakti ($5.50)
  Lexus Classic/Melbourne Cup double: #24 Signoff ($7.50)
  Turnbull Stakes/Melbourne Cup double: #22 Lucia Valentina ($7.50)

Melbourne Cup Local Lead-Up Form: The Cox Plate has provided the final lead-up to more Melbourne Cup winners than any other race in the past 10 years with 4 and the only horse coming off a run in the WFA classic this year is #3 Fawkner ($9.50) who ran third.

Melbourne Cup International Lead-Up Form: The Prix Kergolay over 3000m in France has provided two Melbourne Cup winners in the past 10 years with Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011). This year #5 Protectionist ($7.50) won the Group 2 event in August before a fourth in the Herbert Power down under on October 11.

First-Up International Melbourne Cup Horses: Vintage Crop (1993) is the only one of over 60 international gallopers to win the Melbourne Cup in their first run down under. This year horses out to be the next are: #2 Cavalryman ($26), #4 Red Cadeaux ($19), #9 Royal Diamond ($61), #10 Gatewood ($71), #11 Mutual Regard ($11), #13 Willing Foe ($31) and #14 My Ambivalent ($41).

Use the above Melbourne Cup facts and statistics to get behind your Melbourne Cup tips this Tuesday online now at Ladbrokes.com.au where if you can pick the first seven over the line in the ‘race that stops a nation’ the Megafecta will reward you with a $10 million pay day!